


Abandoned

by Hokova



Category: The Village (2004)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Horror, Interspecies Awkwardness, Interspecies Relationship(s), Multi, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:30:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4449371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hokova/pseuds/Hokova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If the monsters were real and had some... strange customs involving their young.</p>
<p>(I should have been quiet instead! But there was no answer. Of course. If there WAS a monster under the bed, would it actually answer me? I bet it's waiting for me to fall asleep, and then it will climb out and-<br/>"Hello…?"<br/>God.<br/>There was an answer and it came from under my bed.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Abandoned

We lived in a bad house, at least according ton what others said. Since I was born, all I saw out of my room was forest, forest and more forest.

Nobody wanted to live in this one, because… well… because they feared. It was too close, almost IN it. When I was six, I asked;

"Mom, why does everyone fear the forests?"

"Because of what lives there," she answered.

"What is there?"

"Something we shouldn't name," she tried to shake me off.

"What something?" Yes, I was a very persistent child.

"Monsters," she stroked my head.

"What monsters?" I frowned.

"Those we do _not_ speak of." "But why don't we speak of them?"

"We have a deal- we don't mention them and don't go to the forest, they leave us alone," I could sense she is at her limits with patience.

"Oh." I didn't get it. "Are they afraid of us, too, then?"

"No. We're humans. We can't hurt them even if we wanted."

"And they can?"

"They have claws and stings. And they can EAT you if they want!" she poked my side and squeezed, imitating a light bite.

"And why would they-" "Gwen! STOP it! They are called 'those we do NOT SPEAK OF for a reason!" she hissed.

"Can they hear us?" I lowered voice, glancing at our window.

"I don't know. They may sense it." And the same night, the village bell rang. It was the first time that I have ever heard it, but from the on, I knew it meant nothing good.

My whole family, mom, dad and grandmother were very startled. My little brother wasn't, he was just a baby, but he probably felt mom is very anxious and started to cry. She tried to shush him the best she could, the fastest she could.

"They are here," father announced and off to the cellar we went. Now THIS, by then, I DID understand. So we did, so quickly I felt a bit like flying more than running. Slamming the door after us, he listened carefully. There was a silence one would expect more in a GRAVE than a house, and then came the door creaking.

We for some reason held our breaths.

Tap, tap, tap. Tap. Tap. Tapping on the floor. It sounded like some kind of animal, like our dog when he came wet inside from the rain, but heavier. For some twisted reason I found it cute because of that.

"What's it doing here?" I whispered.

Mom covered my mouth by a  _smack_ , so it quite hurt, but despite my eyes watering I stayed quiet. But still, I wondered. What's it doing here? Maybe it was just to scare us? I couldn't get it into my six-year-old head. I snuck past mom and looked out of the keyhole. Pity was I didn't see much; only some red-clothed back, with something like hedgehog stings on it's back.

Then it turned, and slowly went out of the door, then I heard scratching again. After several minutes, the bell rang again. They were gone.

All family sighed in relief.

"What was that? What were those? What did they want?" I asked all of them, but nobody seemed to have an answer for me… or they just ignored me.

"Go to bed," mom said finally, kissing my forehead.

I was a bit afraid. My room, it was near forest, and it was on the lowest floor. But nothing ever happened to me, so I just crawled into the dark and jumped on the bed, which was thankfully large, high and strong.

Just before I fell to sleep, I heard growling outside.

….

At morning, everyone acted as if nothing happened. Mom came to wake me to go to school as usually, she washed me, clothed me, then sat me on the bed and started to comb my hair.

"Mom?" "Yes?"

"Am I safe here?"

"Yes, dear. They don't harm anyone unless you get in their way, and they never stay here for long. And they never go into other rooms than the hallway and kitchen. Sometimes the stables."

"Why do they come?"

"I don't know," she said softly, then started to wash my hair. Since I was very little, mom dyed my hair.  _Every day._ It was something natural, I don't know what it was made of, but it made my hair so dark they looked deep brown, and not- the color they were before. I wondered and to that day I actually didn't know my true hair color.

But at school, we had an especially rainy day, and the roof broke, so after the rain they let us go out to play. At first it was quite innocent, but then- some animals were set free by the boys, and voila, a real running from a angry goat. I tripped over and fell into a small pool of mud and water.

The goat kicked me a bit, but then I kicked back and she ran off.

The teacher came to pick me up.

"Gwen, are you alright?"

My classmates could laugh their asses off.

"Yes," I snorted and lifted my chin high. "I just need to wash myself."

They took us in and the boys got detention.

THEN was the worst moment, when I washed and with a surprise I saw color going off my hair.

The teacher and my classmates stared, as I looked on them too, puzzled.

"What…?"

"Gwen… your hair," the teacher said carefully, but I sensed fear behind it.

"What's with my hair?" I frowned.

One of the girls stand and pointed on me with a hysterical shout;

"It's the forbidden color!"

"What?"

"Your hair, it's RED, Gwen!" the teacher explained to me with dead pale face, then showed me a mirror.

I stared. I LIKED the color. I often saw it at autumn on trees but… on my head it looked different. They called my parents immediately, and mother came, washed my hair again, so it became dark again.

"Gwen," mom said to me sharply, when dragging me home. "NEVER play outside, when there's pools or rain again, okay?"

"Okay… mom, why is red a forbidden color?"

"It attracts the ones we do not speak of. Now stop with the questions. And be careful around water."

"But-"

"PROMISE you'll be careful!" she raised her voice suddenly. Mom stopped, sighed, then knelt down in front of me.

"If you're not, they might send you away," she said, a concerned lookmon her face. "and you don't want that, do you?"

"I promise…"

"Good girl."

I wasn't allowed to wear red (did we even have any red cloth?) but still, it troubled me. I liked my hair, so why wasn't I allowed to have my natural hair color?

,,At least during winter," I pleaded. ,,I promise I won't stick even a  _nose_  from the house!"

,,No," mom cut me off.

I whined for a while longer, but eventually, I let it go like a lot of things.

............................

When I was seven, I was fully used to the routine.

Never speak of them, check.

Put away every red thing you find, check.

Dye your red hair, check.

Never go to the forest… uhm…

Well… Ah, okay, NOT quite!

Sometimes, the boys had this game. There was an old stump near the forest, and they tried, who will last longer on it.

At night. And near,  _very_  near the edge of  _our_  land. The land just a step away belonged to  _them_. Usually, there were growls there, deep sounds that sounded somewhat like that.

And being turned so you're facing village and your back is to the forest, nobody really lasted long there.

Only me.

I won today again, but I still stood there, waiting, with shut eyes.

"Gwen, there's a storm coming soon! Just jump down already!" one of the boys said.

"Nooo, I'm comfortable here."

"Alright, but WE are leaving!" another one said and stood to go away. Then thunder could be heard - as he said, there would be a storm. After several more minutes of sitting on the stump, a drop fell on my nose.

Rain. WATER!

I stood up and started to run like crazy beside the forest to get home before the rain starts pouring too much but I didn't manage it in time.

Luckily, nobody was home, only granny and she was sleeping- I heard her from up the stairs… Heh. She forgot to watch me. Mom and dad were gone, there was a town meeting. Dad was one of the council members, and mom… she said she went there to talk.

I hoped they took my brother too, and it seemed so, either that or he was sleeping deeply to not hear the door creaking, as I closed after me, and then locking.

I then exhaled in relief. I was dripping wet, and I've seen color drip on the ground too- it seemed my hair gained their natural one again. But it was fine, I always washed my hair before I went to sleep. It was more comfortable that way.

I heard another door creaking.

"Grandma?" I called out. "Are you up…? Did I wake you?"

But that wasn't her… Gosh, maybe little brother woke up? Immediately, I ran upstairs to check him. But it wasn't him. He slept peacefully in his bed.

I frowned.

What on Earth…? Oh, maybe the back door opened. I ran downstairs again to check it, and yes, it was opened. Laughing quietly, I reached for them (they were opened to the outside). Of course. What else could it be?

The rain hit my face so hard it was like a good slapping. I groaned and tried to wipe it out of my eyes, but it was  _everywhere_.

And then I caught a glimpse of something red on the edge of the forest.

I froze in the door and I think I didn't breath for a second. Then I caught them, forcibly closed and ran straight into my bed. I jumped on, undressed and hid under the sheets, shaking from the cold but also fear. There were no growls heard outside today, just the determined rain and thunder, but I'd bet my life on the fact I saw one of  _them_  just six meters from me. I shook, and the whole bed with me.

Wait, what…? The bed was ten times bigger and high half of me. There was no way tiny me would shake it. Two of us may have, but I...

I didn't know why I did it . "Hello?" I said with a incredibly high and child-like voice. I hated myself for it.

I should have been quiet instead! But there was no answer. Of course. If there WAS a monster under the bed, would it actually answer me? I bet it's waiting for me to fall asleep, and then it will climb out and-

"Hello…?"

God.

There was an answer and it came from under my bed and to my shock also in a high and scared voice, like mine. But it sounded… different. More like a baby animal, but nonetheless, it was a voice. IThey were real words.

"Who is down?" I asked.

"Who is UP?" it answered with a question. This was a VERY strange conversation, I had to admit.

"What are you doing under my bed?" I asked something again. This time it whined for itself for a while, then it answered;

,,They left me here."

I winked in surprise, then slooowly slithered to the edge of the bed and looked down. Nothing was seen.

"Who left you here?" "Parents," it whined again.

"But why?" "Because… because they say I'm a too weak thing and I'll die either way."

It sobbed. I listened for a while.

"And why did they leave you  _here_?" I asked a bit more softly. It made a high-pitched, weird sound.

"I don't know," it said shakily. I stared down for a while, then moved my head to see under the bed. It wasn't very visible, but what was was a very pitiful sight.

I saw only a big red cloak, a bit too big for the thing, then small claws, thin stings, and the best I saw eyes, staring back on me. They were huge and pitch dark, almost black.

"Are you staying here then?" I asked now a bit more softly. We stared on each other.

"I guess," I started. "that now we share this bed, we should tell our names to each other." It inclined its head to the side.

"You should start, since you're new here," I puzzled.

,,Yes, but we have a tradition," it said shyly. "we have to prove ourselves before we have names. I've been miserable."

"Oh. I'm Gwen, then." "Okay."

"But since they now… left you here… doesn't that mean you can have a name?" It wondered for a while.

"I may?" Now that it sounded normal, without whining or scared, I recognized it's a HE.

"Do you like any name?" I murmured.

Just then, the door opened. He froze, I immediately jumped back under the sheets like rabbit and almost screamed. Did they change their mind? Did they come back for him? Would they eat me?!

However, it was just grandma.

"Darling, sorry for falling asleep. Is the baby alright?"

"Yes, I checked," I said and tried to sound tired despite my heart beating loud enough that I was sure the baby monster heard it.

'Good," she smiled and went to give me a good-night kiss. When she closed the door and I heard she's already upstairs, I heard a hiss from under the bed;

"I think I have one." I leaned in closer to hear properly.

,,Nicholas," he said. ,,it reminds me of Christmas," he added more cheerfully. With that line, I stopped being afraid of him entirely


	2. Bonds

We kept waiting with either hope or dread for a while longer, silently thinking of the same thing; if They are coming back, when, and what would happen. But time passed, and with each day we mentioned them less, and then we rather stopped.

Because of that thought, the first year was hard for both of us. He was bored and scared during the day, mostly because of the fact that my family might discover him. But as for me- not to talk of it, and most of all not to be excited because I remembered I have one of them under my bed when someone else started talking about them.

Not to give in to the temptation to talk to him when I knew someone might hear.

We didn't, of course, talk much at first. I was afraid to, and for a while I even couldn't sleep. I didn't want to start getting used to him, I wanted him gone... but at the same time, my curiosity prevailed, and we started exchanging words. Not much at first, a few a day maybe. A awkward 'good morning', and 'good night' were fine with us. I now felt responsible for the tiny thing (as insane as that sounds), and decided to treat him a bit like a pet to bear him under the bed - I brought him food, and one time a blanket. 

It was him that started talking first, with a 'thank you.' From then on, at a very abrupt pace, the lenght of the talks picked up.

Right when I came home, I usually took food into my room, locked and said I have to study. Parents were very happy about it, and teachers too, because when I didn't know something I asked the monster under my bed.

It was amazing, how bright he was. I thought he knew even too much for someone who was just three years older than me - or at least he claimed he was - but I was glad I had good grades; and moreover, someone I could ask questions and they would not shush me.

He said this was nothing great, that all of them were like that, but he was obviously happy when I praised him.

"At least something I'm good in," he made a weird, sour grin under the bed.

And since he was always near, I could also finally properly study what he lookslike. So… they were more human than I'd guess. The stings on their backs could become soft and flat, so he could almost half-sit under the bed. He WAS a bit bigger than me, but not by too much. The rest of their body looked almost alike us, too, except for the claws, a small stinged tail and the head.

Head… how to put it… yes, also almost human, they even had hair (although everyone of them had it red, red, and more shades of red… that was probably also the reason red was 'their' color…), but it was somehow… different. I never saw their faces during their short trips into the village, so I couldn't compare him with the others, but it wasn't bad. Not good either, but… different. Kind of alike a wild cat… no. I couldn't put my finger on it.

But his grin looked like a human one.

"You can get better in other things, I'm sure!"

"As if. I've tried it before."

"Maybe you didn't try hard enough."

"Gwen, without the claws and stings I'm nothing among my own."

He thought we were maybe too different to even try talking at first, but then -he said-  he gave up- he didn't have anyone else to speak to, and as a ten year old he couldn't resist asking and commenting on trivial things like my homework. At times I even found it funny.

And I couldn't resist asking about things for a change HE took as something normal.

"Why?"

"I explained before!" he growled in annoyance. His speech was recognizable as our language, but it wasn't perfect. He could lapse with words - sometimes even sentences - into an odd, archaic, guttural, and for me terrifying speech sometimes, but when he saw what an effect it had on me he stopped. You could still hear the accent when he got agitated, though.

"I still don't get it."

He groaned now. "Then don't even try…"

I snorted. "Well, in our village we try to improve if we aren't good in something."

"How?"

"I don't know!" I threw up hands in frustration. "But you grow bigger, shouldn't the claws and stings grow too?"

He paused. "Should they?"

"I don't know. Maybe they're weak because you don't have enough of some…thing."

"Like what?"

"Like trying to get them stronger,"  _I_  growled now.

"How?" he asked in sarcastic tone.

I wondered. "…Digging?"

"What?" he said in a high-pitched tone. "I should go dig around like some kind of a  _dog_?"

"It was just a suggestion," I rolled eyes at his horror and snorts. But then, at night, I heard something outside, and when I looked under the bed, nothing was there.

…..

On my ninth birthday, I got a cat.

It was a little kitten of a orange-ish color but almost yellow, so it was okay to have it, and the first few days I had to take very good care for it, because it was so weak, everyone expected it might die. Mom said it was the smallest kitten of the neighbor cat's kits, and he didn't want it, but he gave it to me with the words;

"Maybe YOU can save it," and he winked.

The kitten got the name Scarlet, after a short discussion with mom.

"But she's YOUR responsibility!" she pointed on me.

After some examining, I found that she had very little  fur, and very small little claws, and when you left her alone for too long she started to whine instantly, which I immediately likened to my roommate. I often stayed up late at night to watch over her as she slept to Nick's great content, because he could comment on my actions longer.

But after three months, she got stronger. She could run around freely, and always waited for me beside the door, when I got home from school, and meowed and jumped on my skirt, which always got me laughing.

Nick never said even a WORD about the cat's state, just that he liked her. And Scarled apparently liked him back. She often wandered under my bed and slept there instead of her basket.

When she was ten months old, a very big rat got into our house. I've been pretty scared, standing on the chair, almost on the table, when he ran around in the kitchen and even mom had trouble with catching him.

Then, like a orange ball of fury, Scarlet ran there and jumped on the rat, even though he was almost as big as her, and after a while she choked it.

She got meat from the chicken we had for dinner, and could even sit on the table for once. She looked very proud of herself, and so graceful as she was sitting beside me and eating, although she was smaller than most cats- she fought, and she got just as strong.

A week after this, I referred to Nick at night;

"Today kitty met her siblings and mom! It was really cute. She accidentaly fought with her brother and actually won! The neighbor praised me for raising her up like that."

"That cat deserves respect," he stated.

"Yes, she does," I nodded with a smile. "and to remember how small and weak she was."

"Yes. But she grew up." "Mhm…"

"Thanks to your care…"

"But she could just decide to not fight. Just die," I spurred him on.

"She didn't..." We stayed quiet for a while.

"What care would YOU need for getting stronger?" I asked.

There was more silence.

"If you don't know," I kneeled down and stuck head under the bed. He jumped in surprise (almost hit his head on the bed) and moved away a bit. "then I'll figure it somehow. Okay?"

"T-That'll be nice from you," still amazed it seemed, he answered.

….

The next day I've been distracted in school because I thought about what lived under my bed the whole day, and mostly about what to do with it.

Sure, now he could stay there. He still fit there, even when someone looked under the bed they didn't see him, if he curled to the corner.

But he grew. We both did. It was slow, but to think of how big the adult ones of his kind were, I had a small heart attack. Of course he can't be there always.

But to go somewhere out to the forest when he couldn't fully depend only on himself, well that was something I couldn't do to him. But to get him out of there that was a almost impossible task, I rarely managed it. The most he usually stuck out was a claw when he grabbed something I left beside the bed.

Food, books, clothes, or he once did it to Scarlet too, but she didn't seem to like it very much. Once even my leg, when he wanted to scare me. After the good kick he got he stopped doing it.

On the way home I found out that some kids stopped by something, and there was quite a crowd there by now. I ran there too and found out it was a rabbit. Or actually… was before. It was skinned, just the head was whole, and all the meat was gone. And the scent was  _horrible_.

After a while adults came and sent us all home.

Scarlet waited for me as always, but meowed more, because some of the scent lingered on me. I left as always with food and locked myself in my room.

"We found a skinned wild rabbit today," I referred quietly, while giving some of the food under the bed.

"I know." A paw grabbed it, pulled the plate under, and after a while quiet crunching could be heard.

"You do?" After a while, there was a more cheerful voice than usually;

"It was me who did it!"

My eyes almost fell out. "You…? But when?"

"When everyone was gone, I crawl out."

" But... How did you manage to do it during the day, without being seen!?"

"I found out," he snorted, an amused sound. "I may not be very strong, but... I'm incredibly fast."


	3. In-between

After the incident with the skinned rabbit, we made a deal. One day, he's inside and we're sleeping as long as we can; the second, we're out in the forest.

It was a deal not one of us expected we'll make, but it just somehow happened.

He was very eager to show me, how he got the rabbit – just how he CAUGHT it, not skinned it – so we snuck through the back door around midnight and went out for the first time together. We only intended to be near the line, but then we stepped between the trees - I don't even quite recall, how it happened, but then we were in and I threw caution to the wind.

It was scary at first; I've never been in it before. I mean, yes at the edge, but not more than two steps. Now, suddenly I look around and I see I can't see the line or the lights of our house, we were quite DEEP. I could feel my heart pounding even in feet. I kept close to my companion, who seemed very happy to be out again, and couldn't decide if I was more excited of frightened.

Someone who might've swus would be probably shocked. I was, too.

"Aren't we a bit too away now?" I asked,  voice high. He stopped.

"Are you scared?"

"A bit," I admitted.

"Okay." He changed direction to the back, then sniffed.

"Stay here," he pointed with a claw. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"A-are you sure?"

"If you won't move, then I'm sure."

With a sound that resembled a bark he was gone between the trees and I looked around me.

My gosh. I never saw so many red things at once before. Amazingly enough, this meadow was close enough to our home that it wasn't even a walk of few minutes, but I never (understandably) saw it before. The ground looked as if it was splattered with blood.

I needed to think of something else. I trusted my roommate, but the waiting was unbearable. I carefully picked up one flower from the ground and examined it. It was a… what? I couldn't recall it's name. But I liked it's smell. Then I remembered I already washed my hair today… it was the same. Sitting down beside a tree, I compared the colors in the full moon's light. Mine was a bit more brown, but still, it was red. I was actually proud to have this- it meant I was special. Not many girls of the village had this color, so far I know I was the only one. Yes, yes, okay, it was  _their_  color- but who took it away from them? And why we didn't have  _our_  color?

I jumped in seat when a startled rabbit ran beside me and just then with a growl one of the creatures I was thinking about dashed in front of it in blur, caught it and with one squeeze stopped its struggles. My chin dropped down.

"That sure was  _amazing_!" I ran over to him. "You ARE fast! See, I told you you're good in  _something_!"

"And you were right!"

He actually  _laughed_  now. I must be crazy. I'm out in their forest with one of them, with my red hair sticking to all directions.

"Told you!"

After a small hesitation I reached out to the proud hunter and tapped his back. That was the first real touch we shared. He flinched, but didn't recoil.

….

As I hit my tenth birthday there was a very peaceful time. There were no 'visits' from the forest for over four years, more like ours to it. I was surprised nobody found out yet, people or Them, but we two outlands were happy they didn't.

Yeah, we. Since we started the trips, we became something of… well, less than friends, that was for sure, but more than just roommates. Something in between. But hey, what ten year old girl really befriends a boy, even if he's of a different species? He snorted in amusement when I voiced this.

"What are we then?"

I shrugged, then remembered he can't see it- it was a conversation in bed.

"I have no idea."

"Hmm, yes," he started in a bit of a sneaky tone. "how can we be friends, when I'm grown–up and you aren't?"

I sat up and said a bit too loudly; "I AM grown up!"

"You're just ten," he giggled. I could pratcically see his smirk in my mind.

"And you're just thirteen! So don't act as if you were adult already!"

"We mature in fifteen," he stated proudly.

"Yeah, well, we too." Okay, I lied a bit.

"HA! Gotcha. You ARE still small."

"No I'm not! Five years is not that much to pass!" I snorted. We maybe weren't friends- but we argued, as if we were an old married couple.

"Ooh, it IS quite enough. Besides… I heard you are adult after you are EIGHTEEN."

Damn. He knew more than I thought.

"SO what!" I stuck head under the bed. He met my gaze defiantly. "That doesn't mean I'm not  _mentally_  grown up!"

He chuckled. "Oh, how would  _I_ know about that?"

"You're a stuck-up, egoistic and lazy person. No wonder your parents left you here."

After that I smacked my mouth. Wasn't this a bit too much…?

"You're a spoiled little brat. No wonder you don't have any friends," he mentally punched back.

I smirked, secretly relieved.

"No, but I have loads of acquaintances. And that's enough."

"Oh reallyyyyy? What kind?"

"Eh, what?" "See. You ARE still little. Or your instincts don't work as they should."

I stared into the darkness.

"You'll get it someday," he sighed heavily and waved a paw.

"Why someday? Tell me now!"

"No," he cut me off sharply.

"But whyyyyy?" I whined.

"Because I don't want to."

"Egoist," I snapped, tucked myself back in bed and sulked.

"Brat."

"Good night."

"You too."

Our conversations were cheekier than when we were younger. We weren't shy around each other anymore, so we often fought, but it was funny. It was a good part of day for me, other than learning, playing with the other kids and such.

I noticed that nobody has died in quite a while in the village now. Maybe because of the peace that was here. Nothing was done, and actually, I think that maybe elders were a bit bored. Maybe I could pull some kind of prank?

I still played with boys, but more with the smaller ones. I loved the next-to-forest game. I always endured for  _hours_ \- until my feet started to ache and Ilaughed at them.

I wasn't afraid of it anymore. Why? I went in often. People are scared of things they can't see, don't know. I  _knew_  what everyone was scared of. I knew it  _personally_. There wasn't anything scary about them.

Okay, okay. Not when you seen them through a keyhole in the middle of the night, going around in your kitchen, but still. When you befriended a monster, you never had any nightmares, and it didn't matter if you were a little kid, or a grown-up adult.

I was happy with my life now. My mom noticed this too one morning.

"What makes you so cheerful in the middle of the school year?"

"Hm?" I looked up, mouth full. She laughed.

"Oh, you're shining like a star, Gwen. Slept good?"

"Oh, yeah, I did," I answered unconsciously after swallowing. "quite well."

"That's good. You seem awfully cheerful these past few days."

Past few days, we found a shortcut to the place where he now usually hunted, dug, well trained, to put it simply. I tried some things too. I usually bought a lamp and something to entertain me in the process. We never could be out for very long, you see, three, mostly four hours, and the place was nowhere near too – of course, we couldn't go to one people would hear us in. And even so, we had to be quiet – he said his own didn't come to this place, but one was never sure.

And we didn't want to be found out – it was too much fun.

"Do I?" I shrugged. "Must be a coincidence."

This day was special.

Nobody was home, only granny, but I had it carefully thought up as for what will I say to everyone – and me and him went out in day light for the first time.

We had to be very quick, because all the villagers had eyes very sensitive for any sight of red – and he never went out without his cape. Of course, he had nothing else to wear either.

First I stuck out my head to check, if anyone could see us. Some people were nearby, but they had their backs turned to me.

"NOW!"

We ran through the backyard like cheetahs and right into the forest, as far and fast as we could. He kept his pace slow to match me, but even so we ended up as tired as I wasin the end.

Then we stood there, in the middle of our way, tired, panting, and still had to get the fact what we did.

"I can't  _believe_  it!" he got out finally.

"We're out like this!" I gasped too.

"At daylight!"

"And we ran through the area they could see us."

We stayed quiet for a while, staring at each other with blank faces – then burst into hysterical laughter.

Really, it was  _so hard_  I couldn't stand straight after a while, tears rolling down my cheeks, and I had to lean for support on the nearest thing I found – which was my companion, of course. But he didn't mind, he couldn't stand properly too, still chuckling.

After about five minutes we finally calmed down a little, sitting on the ground next to each other with heads hung, two kids that just accomplished something very big.

"Well," he looked up at me. ,"how long did you say you'll be out?"

"I said 'till dark."

"WHAT! That's almost half of a day!" he cried out.

"Yeah!" I beamed at him. "Have a problem with it?"

"No! It's just unusual for me. But not in a bad way."

"For me too!" I laughed. When we stopped by a small stream on the way, I got a sudden impulse to do something crazy, because when you're pushing boundaries, do it properly!

I immediately stuck my whole head into the water to wash my hair. He stood beside me, waiting and watching curiously, how the brown went off and left a dark wet reddish color. I squeezed my hair to dry it off, when all was out, then straightened.

"Done!" I announced cheerfully.

"Far better," he said. "and with that meadow, you won't even be visible!"

I could hardly take this as a compliment. It was just a statement, he liked this color better and he said it. Still, it made me feel even better than before.


	4. Changes

Another year went off without any big changes, except… one.

It was on my eleventh birthday, and I planned big – to go celebrate at night out. We went out every second day now, exactly on half past midnight and without any fear. It was a routine, far better than the one I had when I was seven. All that was to it was- be careful, careful, _careful_. Besides that we had absolutely nothing to fear, although for the past few weeks, he seemed more… I don't know. Tensed prehaps? Aware? Or how to call it. I wasn't exactly sure, but he shrugged and said it's some scents, with a stiff smile.

But he trained all the same, and we did things we normally did, so I didn't ask about it again. Maybe he put more effort into it, but I might have imagined as well.

But on that day, I felt specially worn out. I was tired the whole day, didn't want to do anything, just lie around in bed. When I woke up, it was still dark. but I didn't feel like moving.

"What's the time?" I asked quietly.

"Around half past six," he answered in the same tone, and strangely tensed, alike when we were in the forest last time together.

I snapped. "I OVERSLEPT?"

"No… I just didn't want to wake you up. You seemed tired."

I groaned and shifted in bed, which only made me feel more uncomfortable than I was before. I wondered, why was that, but couldn't think of anything.

"Well, thanks," I said to the pillow. "actually… I still feel like a corpse. I'm gonna be sick, probably."

There was a short silence. "I don't think you're sick, Gwen," he cleared his throat.

"If I'm not, then I can get up."

When I did so, a single drop of dark red liquid fell to the ground.

"What on Earth!"

...And from this point, things became more different than I ever expected. Well, after mom explained, what is up with me, shushing me, because I mildly panicked.

I had mixed feelings about it. First, I was angry on my mom for not telling me earlier, but could I tell her? Of course not. And I was embarrassed, because a boy – on top one of a different species – knew about it sooner than me. And it wasn't like anyone told him anything!

Oh, how I sometimes wished to have his instincts.

The next night was awkward, although we didn't want to go anywhere. More awkward than our first one sharing a bed.

"Uhm," I finally said. It sounded terribly loudly.

"Yes?" "Sorry."

"For what…?" "For… making you feel uncomfortable with my scent."

"That's okay, it's not like it's your fault."

"Well… yeah. But still. It makes me feel guilty."

"No, really. It's fine. I'll just have to get used that you're not a kid anymore, that's all. And to the scent itself. It was so strange..."

"Hmm… yes. I still have to get used to it as well."

He exhaled and from how well I knew him I knew he was smiling. "We might as well try together another night, what'cha say?"

"Surely," I grinned.

"Mhm… Gwen?"

"Yes?" "You remember what I said last year?"

I only guessed one thing he could be referring to. "About that we can't be friends if you're grown up and I'm not?"

"…Quite right," he admitted. I grinned again, and this time leaned down to stick a hand under the bed.

"So, are we friends from now on? And I mean for real?"

I felt a claw slipping into my hand, a sharp and bony and familiar thing.

"You BET."

His claws have gotten a fair lot longer and stronger than they were before. And why wouldn't they!

We worked really hard always, for half of a year to get them better. They still weren't as impressive as the adult's ones, but… he still had time. And I'd really try my best to cheer him on each time, sitting cros legged on a meadow while he chopped wood and dug rabbits out of their holes.

"Well," he started, slightly playful tone. "but we have a certain tradition about opposite genders befriending, you know."

"Do you?" How on earth would he know? I found it funny, but decided to play along.

"Yup. But I'm not exactly sure if you'll like it."

"Try me," I shrugged and kneelt down, looking under the bed. I felt him shrug too, then he pulled himself out (I don't know, how to better call this movement), put claws on my shoulders, and pulled me down into something… I jumped right up onto the bed again.

"You- you just kissed me!"

"Oh, so that's how it's called?" he chuckled.

"Well… eh… yes." "Mhmmm." A moment of silence.

"Are you angry? Is it something you don't do?"

"Um, no, it's not like that. But children don't." I've been red from head to toes from embarrassment.

 

"Ah. I'll warn you next time, then."

…....................................

The next training went well. He tried rubbing his claws on a rock they found at a small lake near the meadow – well, or a thing that resembled it – and it went well. The rocks started to fall down instead of the material off the claws, which I was very grateful for because he it seemed painful.

"They got better," I stated, standing by idly. He frowned.

"No… it's still not enough. They'd broke on the first try using them."

"But they've been a lot weaker, you weren't able to even make a scratch on the rocks."

He made something that resembled a smile, buit not quite.

"You're right, it IS a certain improvement."

"Sure," I grinned and elbowed his side. "if you were among yours, what would they do?"

"I'd still be on the bottom of the food chain, but they would poke me around less often…"

I sighed. "And how high do you _want_ to be?"

"An alpha!" he stated proudly. "Or at least a beta. So my paretns would be proud of me instead of wanting to get rid of me."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. He said it in a absolutely careless tone, like it was someone else he talked about, not him. Like he didn't even care, how will it all end… But I knew better – he DID. Under that smug mask, he did care. He was afraid, what will he do, if he won't get at least as strong as a ordinary one of his kind. He couldn't stay under my bed his whole life. I knew, he knew. But if he was as weak… where would he go?

I thought about it as we quietly snuck past our back door, into the house, and to my room. He slid under my bed, I undressed and slipped under the covers.

"Good night," I heard a sigh after a while.

"Good night," I reached under the bed to touch his claw. Before I drifted into sleep, I heard soft purring from there.

..........................................................................................

 

Those-we-don't-speak-of weren't the only ones who had their traditions; I would guess we had more of them, but not everyone took part of them apart from as an audience, and this was one of the first times that I would participate in one of them - earlier than most, at my twelve. It was a spring celebration, on the verge of summer, and a very grave and serious one where children weren't allowed to, and I was excited beyond belief.

"There's gonna be a huge celebration!" I flied in cheefully into my room, barely remembering to kep my voice down after I found out.

"Oh?" I heard a amused voice from under the bed. "So you mean one like that is only once a few years, or so?"

"Oh, you HAVE to poke me around every time I'm happt, don't you?" I kicked the bed, but I only heard another chuckle.

"It's a celebration for ME. It's one for taking young girls among the adult ones, you know," I explained. "it's a very serious one! It's an honour to be there so early."

I might've been embarrassed about my still newfound bleeding, but one I found out it's a reason to join, I stopped being so.

"Ooh, a initiation... and what do you do on such occasions?"

"I... duh... what do you  _think_  we do?" I shrugged, forgetting he can't see me.

"Well since I never was on one myself, I don't have the slightest clue. What about you?"

"They didn't tell me anything," I admitted a bit hesitantly, afraid he'll laugh at me. I felt a bit stupid after that sentence. Thankfully, he didn't, he only said-

"I could've guessed."

"What was that supposed-"

"Who are you talking to, Gwen?" I heard mom call from outside. I almost jumped out of my own skin.

"No one! Just rambling to myself, I'm a bit nervous."

"Oh, no need to be, darling!" mom laughed, getting in with a dress in her hands. It was a pale color, almost the same as her hair. I've always liked her hair, maybe because it was so light and pale. The perfect color of the village. "I've been through this as well, all the girls were. It's nothing hard! Well just all gather up and talk a bit, and you'll listen and ask if you want. Then there's a small dance, a ritual, and we go home. Now I'd like you to wear this."

"What's this?"

"Oh, my old dress. Maybe it will fit you."

I quickly undressed and mom helped me put the dress on, then had me sit down on the bed and did my hair; coloring and this time also doing me a different hairstyle than usually. I probably wouldn't manage to sit there for so long if she didn't talk to me. Saying how it was on her own initiation; she was also nervous when they gathered behind closed doors in such silence, all the windows closed, and how all the girls bowed to the rest - introducing themselves as adult now, and responsible for keeping the peace as well. I idly thought if the responsibility was also for washing, hiding very well that color.

She also said it was the place she fell in love. They were all teen-aged children with only a few Elders.

"With who?" I winked.

"With your father, of course!" she chuckled. "Really, Gwen. And I'm soo glad it was him, because I have such a pretty young lady like you! Now, look in the mirror!" She pulled out a mirror and showed me to myself.

For a while I couldn't believe the person I looked at was me. I winked, then for a change lifted hand to check.

"Wow." "First time looking into a mirror?" mom laughed. I liked her laughter too; it was like bells.

"In a while. But this hairstyle... I somehow look different."

"It's not even a hard one! I can do this any day."

"Thanks, mom!" I hugged her in excitement. "Say, do I look like you?"

"Very much!" she smiled, kissed my cheek and went out the door to prepare herself, leaving me alone. Well... almost.

"Can I see, ma'am?" I basically  _heard_  the grin.

"Whatever, you who-we-shouldn't-speak-to... but you first have to crawl out of under the bed. And be quick, she may be back soon!" I ran to lock the door.

 _Crawl_? He didn't have to crawl, I knew. I just teased him. He was used to slip in and out from there with one smooth movement, keeping the red cape on him as well.

"Oh, my." For a while he looked surprised – not in a bad way – but after a few seconds he was grinning again.

"You at least  _look_  like a young lady, not being one," he winked. If I wasn't afraid mom would hear, I'd punch him so he would fall out the window.

"Oh, why do you think I'm not?" I asked instead, poking him and then putting fists on hips.

"Does a young lady crawl out at night or by day, better, into the forest?" he lowered head to my ear.

"I-! I do it because someone has to watch over you when you're out training. I'm the more responsible one here," I blurted out, milfly outraged.

"Oh reeeeeeeeally?" he made a sarcastic face an inch from my own.

"Geez! Get under the bed again, you've seen me," I said more childishly than I intended to. He only grinned again, lowered eyes and turned his back to me.

I took that opportunity to look on his stings better. Even flat like this; they've been certainly better.

This year, he trained so hard he sometimes came back with  _bloody_  claws and stings; this time it being his own blood. I often had to take care of him because of that, he hissing in pain – but it seemed it was worth it. They were smaller than the adult ones; but they were impressive. Some ones that seen him near the edge of the forest made no difference in him and the othersand so he gave a few people quite the scare with being so close.

He seemed proud of his whole body as well. Certainly, he had nothing to be ashamed of...

I literally felt the rush of heat to my face. What are you thinking about, girl?

I shook head and turned my back to him as well.

"We'll be back in about three hours, mom said," I murmured. "but then we go out again to a dance,"

"I heard. Have a nice experience," he chuckled softly.

…...

We were back earlier than expected, but it was dark anyway. I checked the clock; it was nine.

I yawned, sluggishly getting to my room. Strangely, I didn't even notice I was tired before! It was such a... interesting event. I didn't know they would put so much weight into it, I was dizzy of the nerves. From some topics we had when girls gathered alone, I blushed even now... I was the youngest there, most of them were fourten or fifteen.

It left me with mixed feelings, but a strange sense of pride to see the Elders look at me as a true part of the community now. I also faced my peers, and wondered if those looks were the same my mom had seen. Likely not, she was more well-liked.

"Do you need any help?" she called out.

"No, thanks!"

If with washing my hair and getting out of the dress, I didn't need any help. Scarlet came in, meowing and brushing against my legs.

"How was  _your_  evening, kitty?" I smiled and stroked her back.

"Are you talking to me or to the cat?" he piped up curiously.

"To Scarlet, but if you want to reply, you can."

"Oh, good enough. Are we going out today?"

"We can."

I heard quiet, also excited purr. As soon as everyone was asleep – which was, I can say, not long after this – I got out of the bed and got dressed in the dress I casually wore to the forest. He was out already, sitting on the window, looking somewhat in thought. I knew, because usually he made fun out of me and similar things – now, nothing.

"What's up?" I raised a eyebrow.

"What?" he snapped.

I said nothing, and the trip to the forest was unusually calm as well. But the training, wow! I've never seen him so determined before. He caught a rabbit almost lazily, so as making a scratch on a tree. His claw ripped the tree bark like through butter.

"Okay," he sighed more for himself and turned to the rock he also always tried to rip through.

I rather closed eyes; last time it didn't go very well and I didn't want to see that again. I heart a loud crash – but no hiss in pain like before.

I slowly turned my head and opened eyes.

The rock was in half, and he stand above it, looking just as surprised as I was.

"Oh. My. Gosh. YOU DID IT!"

"Yes!" his chin dropped down. "I... FINALLY!" he jumped up and caught me as well, spinning around – it made me laugh like crazy.

"That's so great! See, I told you! I always said you'd get better!"

"How could I NOT believe it?" he exhaled, looking on his claw.

It was long like half of me, and sharp, really sharp. For a while we were quiet, only believing what just happened. Then we at once looked up, our expressions changing slightly.

"You won't fit under the bed anymore, eh?" I made a grin and looked down again.

"No," I heard a soft answer. "probably not."

"Are you... then... going? To show yourself to the... your own."

,"I can try."

I scratched my head, not knowing what to say. It was a new situation. Nobody ever left the village, only their house to go off. I didn't know what to say as this kind of goodbye.

"I.. uh..." "I'm gonna go to the edge of the forest with you."

Again, silence – this time slightly tensed. At the edge, I stepped back into our land, leaving him a bit behind, looking around quickly for anyone. Of course, nobody was nearby at this hour.

"Good luck," I lifted a hand awkwardly.

"Thank you." He looked, as if not sure, what to do either.

"You know," I titled head to the side, suddenly remembering. "we have a certain tradition involving saying good-bye to someone for the day."

"What is it?" his head snapped up. I leaned forward – not crossing the line again – and pressed a small kiss on his nose.

"Oh," he exhaled.

"Indeed," I chuckled this time.

"GWEN!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, looking up and seeing granny in the window.

"What do you think you're doing out in the middle of the night? On top so close to the forest!"

"I-" I turned to the forest. Nothing was there anymore – he was gone.

"I can't sleep," I shouted up sheepishly, backing away from the tree line and back onto our porch.

Which was true – I didn't fall asleep the whole night after.


	5. Grownups

He didn't show himself for long – the longest I've ever been without him or anyone, for that matter.

Oh, I know. We poked each other around, made fun, teased, couldn't sometimes stand each other. Like best friends.

I didn't admit to it before, but sitting alone on the floor with an emptiness beside me I had to admit it. He WAS my best friend, even though I never said it to him! Hell no. I was too proud to admit it first.

 _But then again_ , I frowned one day,  _why didn't I?_   _And now_ _maybe I won't have another chance to tell him_. 

I shook the thought away. Of course I will! It's not like we won't meet ever again. He'll just live elsewhere, that's all.

I knew well that the thought alone was ridiculous - and outrageous.

We never said goodbye in the village save for a brief promise - see you next day, or next week, but it won't be long in any case, see you again. The only farewell there was was at funerals. Nobody left otherwise, and nobody came in as far as I could remember. I don't know if anyone even knew how to say goodbye. Why would we even learn? An why did I think that we SHOULD learn, lest something strange happens?

That was what went through my head when I ran away into the forest every day. Every. Single. Day. Sitting, waiting in the middle of the night, shuddering with cold and sometimes fear and knowing it was wrong and not knowing what else to do.

About two weeks after he left, he showed himself again one night, as though nothing happenes.

"Sorry for the wait," he stated right away cheerfully.

"You're back!" I jumped up and, without any shame jumped around his neck. I was too relieved.

"I-yes... uh... but you don't have to strangle me from all the happiness," he said in a choking voice, but hugged me back carefully, claws patting me.

"Sorry." I didn't know what to do even now, so did what came naturally: pulled back and talked. "So, how did they take you in? Sit and tell me!"

I tapped the ground beside me on the fallen tree and sat. He flung himself down, taking the cape off his head carefully.

"First of all, they were shocked. You should have  _seen_  them! Hah, I couldn't  _not_  grin on the faces they made. I was told they didn't expect me to come back in all glory."

"Now I believe in that," I chuckled.

"Then, well, I had to pass a certain test, or actually a few of them. Not much different than all the training I've done so far..."

"So?" I clapped expectantly.

"So- I'M IN THE PACK, GIRL!" he shouted so that the whole forest probably heard him. "HUNTER MEMBER!"

I blurted out instantly; "Congratulations!"

We both jumped up as if on clue and began a fast and crazy dance, not animal nor human at all, but it was so much fun like never before. I laughed so much my throat hurt when he spun me around.

"And by the way- have you got a name now?" I asked, latched onto his sleeves. "I mean, a real name, like them?"

"Hoped you'd ask!" he said, beaming. "I did get a name. It's Aterulmen now."

"What's...?" my eyes almost fell out at the thing.

"That means 'dark thunder', Gwen!" he laughed then. "And now I need to tell you about the tests."

I almost came late to dinner because of this harmless but long fun.

"Gwen! Where did you ran off to?" Mom gave me a slight smack behind the ear when she saw me over with dirt.

"I'm sorry," I made a grin.

"Look at your legs. Go wash  _immediately_! Is that how a young lady should behave?"

I only laughed and ran, because dad laughed as well.

"Let her," I heard him say. "she's still a child."

…...

Since I was thirteen, it was a bit different.

Well, probably only with me- I still had a kind of draft under my bed I wasn't used to, and on some cold nights I felt lonely. And when heard growling outside I wasn't used to as well I was a bit scared.

 _You're acting like a baby now!_  I scolded myself one night when I had specially horror-like thoughts.  _It's not like someone will get in through the window and get you_. _They're not that stupid. There's peace here, isn't it_?

Or, well... I heard that when I was little, there were some attacks and skinned animals out there... but not that that was unusual, was it? Every time someone went into the woods things like that happened. They said 'don't go near' to every human.

...Except for me.

Did they simply tolerate me because I visited, but didn't claim the forest as my own? Might be. Or they were simply fond of me because I took care of one of them? I don't know.

I didn't know anything about the traditions and rules here, even if they were so old and even if I lived with them every day, even if they were uncomfortable. Only the elders probably knew, both our and theirs; if they had any.

What to say? I tried to look like a 'young lady' now that I couldn't go to the forest that often, which was out of sheer boredom.

Hehe,  _tried_  to. Mom was very happy about it and she taught me as well as she could to act that way. It was good, because I learned a lot of things I wanted to know when I was little... but I also had more work to do now. Often when I went to sit into the forest I brought some to do with me, with a lantern I lit only on the spot at night.

But I had to be SOO very careful not to get dirty! It got on my nerves, and his as well, but what could I do? I didn't want to look suspicious.

"I just have to 'behave properly' now that I'm grown-up," I rolled eyes.

"Hah, poor one. I don't have to do any of this nonsense," he scorned.

"You're a male, that's why maybe," I grinned.

"Sure not. There's not much difference between the works of males and females among us. I can't for the world get why there is with your kind," he rolled eyes (so it seemed) and scratched his head with one claw.

"Well," I raised a finger and hesitated for a second. "...good question. Do you look more similar to each other than we do?"

He grinned. "Yes. Maybe that's it. What'cha doing anyway?"

"Sewing. Ever seen it before?"

He glared on me, titling head to the side.

"...Sure not," I smacked my forehead. "Well, I have  _watched_ , but I've never done it before. It looked easier than it is," I made a grimace.

"What's so special about it? Up, down."

"Not getting it the wrong way."

"I still don't get it at all."

"My dad doesn't as well."

He burst out chuckling, but still kept his eyes on the work.

"Soo, what else has a 'young lady' to do?"

"Weeell, sometimes I take on some chores mom did previously... for example cooking."

"Ooh! Can you show me the finished work sometimes?"

"I can, but I doubt you'll like it."

"Why?" "I'm still not very good."

"Someone once said to me you can get better, if you try hard enough," he winked.

I smiled and looked down again. He was right, of course. 

For a while he sat, then he shifted - lied on his stomach beside me with claws under his chin.

It was so cute, the way he watched me, frowning- trying to understand it. I never really been in a position like this. Most of the time he only looked away, grabbed something to eat, or teased me, poked me around... This was the first time he respected my work.

For some reason it distracted me, and you know it - I just HAD to look elsewhere than to the sewing.

"Ouch."

I said it quietly, but what's the use in front of a being that has better ears than you?

"Are you okay?"

I stuck the finger into my mouth and nodded; he sniffed.

"Oh sure! You just cut yourself."

"It's nothing," I mumbled,- aw damn, this is going to need something to wrap it in. He raised a eyebrow.

"Alriiight, I hope the bears and wolves think so too..."

"I'm not leaving yet!" I snapped on him, sticking the finger out. "It's not serious!"

"Sure," he smirked. "now show that to me."

"Wha- why?" I pulled away.

"I can help you heal it."

"How?" "Not anything hard."

"How?" "Licking it!" he burst out impatiently.

"I don't think it's a good-" I pulled away again, when he jumped after me.

"Ater, I really don't think it's a- good- idea!"

For a while we struggled, but I managed to successfully hide the finger, left, right, and after a while we fell to the ground to a half-sitting half-lying position.

"Oh, just struggle a  _little more_!" he growled helplessly. "I ain't gonna  _eat you_  or something!"

"You sure?" It just fell out my mouth without thinking.

"Ah come on, you  _know_  me."

I blushed at what I just said. He didn't seem offended though, luckily. Still, I couldn't  _not_  twitch at that predatory glint I saw, when he licked it clean. But I didn't pull away; yes I knew him, and I trusted him.

Oh, wait. He sure didn't have this glint before, did he?

Sure not. I've lived with him half of my _life_ , for God's sake. Hmm. Was this what his kind gained when they grew up? Or was it just... Eh, something else?

I didn't know. But he was careful, so that told me I had nothing to fear. I never had, had I? He'd never harm me. Even if he sometimes threatened me, that was just fun. I did it as well.

I snapped out of thoughts.  _Stupid ones, at that_.

I noticed that that tingling sensation wasn't... licking. Only. It was as if... one of those feelings when your cat licked your fingers clean after you've been dirty after a really good dinner. She bit even. Even if slightly, so it didn't hurt, it just tickled in a strange way. He  _really_  enjoyed tasting my blood, didn't he?

I winked a few times and this time it was  _me_  who watched in amazement. What an expression! He didn't even seem to mind I watched. Either that or he hasn't noticed, because it was absolute delight. I just let him do so. For one, I didn't know how to pull away in a non-defensive manner, and for other, it kind of... felt good.

_WHAT! You_ _**can't** _ _just let him lick your fingers for nothing!_

"Ater?"

His eyes snapped open and he only then seemed to realize, what he did.

Now his face really expressed what's  _their_  color.

"I- Your fingers were dirty from lunch as well," he quickly gained mental balance again and looked somewhere out to the forest.

"Oh, I haven't noticed," I looked down. I wasn't surprised that the finger was healed.

"Sure," he stated nonchalantly. "otherwise I wouldn't smell it. You hurried right here after food, didn't you?"

"Yes," I winced inwardly. "I should've washed. But it's a trait of a 'young lady' I just can't quite get a hand on."

He smirked, still studying some trees in the distance.

"Literally, eh?" "Quite."

He suddenly turned head elsewhere, standing still. His ears twitched.

"What's up?" "Today's hunt... I've got to go. Have a nice day."

"You too." "Thanks."

We parted without anything other, which I was glad of. I had a lot more chores to do, I won't be back...

 _Daaamn, mom's going to scold me for the dress._  I just can't go in this to the forest, I always get dirty.

Luckily, she didn't say anything, because she saw I finished the sewing.

"Good, and you didn't even pinch yourself! That's rare," she smiled on me, while studying my work.

I looked down. "Thanks, mom."

That night was the very first time I dreamed of him.

...........................................................................................

 

Half of a year had to pass for me to get used to such things like the sewing... cooking well... a bit dancing, heh... good manners... not getting all dirty when going out to the forest.

Well,  _sure_ , I had to bear with it alone, because parents wouldn't be very happy (they'd be  _dead terrified_  if they knew!) and other girls didn't venture in it, only near... and they didn't always encounter one of  _them_  that seemed to always end up pushing me around so I always ended up going crazy with him, so I of course always got dirty.

He didn't help me much in  _this_  matter, heh. But it was true that it made me at least skilled in another thing, which was washing clothes and dishes. I applauded myself that at least one practical thing came from my trips to the forest, and so taking care of laundry was something I paid very close attention to and took it as a serious task. It was, afterall. So was repairing the occassional tear and wear.

My mother was, in fact, a seamstress, so I was quick to get the hang of it and appear relatively clean.

But since we've been apart with him, I can say I always looked forward to meeting him even though the trouble. I didn't feel lonely in bed anymore, still- when I thought of venturing in and sharing thoughts, experiences, opinions, maybe a few friendly arguments, it always made a smile on my face.

Yup, he's been a very likeable companion. And hearing some of his complains! That sure  _was_  funny. He didn't find it so, and we often did some pushing each other on the ground after an argument – a kind of making-up.

"Today I had to take down a bear. A  _full grown adult bear_!" he growled.

"You alone?" "Yes."

"Oh, well... that can as well mean they appreciate, what a good hunter you are."

"Yes- but I'm more fast than strong, you know that. I'm fit to chase agile prey, not to a close combat with a bear  _that_  big," he showed me with claws. I just had to laugh on it.

"Don't laugh!" he pointed a claw on me. "I've  _really_  been almost killed!"

I still chuckled. "And did you handle it?"

He snorted. "I'm here, ain't I?"

I burst into laughter again and nearly fell backwards.

"Laugh once more and you'll be sorry," he growled playfully.

"Soooorryyyyyyyy, my poor kitty," I said, not trying to hold back the grin.

"Hey. And I ain't no kitty."

"Prove it."

I was immediately on the ground between the claws of the kitty, I didn't even have time to scream.

"So?" he smirked triumphantly.

"Okay, sorry," I raised hands up, as if giving up. "You're not a kitty. You're all-mighty fastest of all hunter. Happy now?" I petted the back of his head.

"Purring of satisfaction," he smiled and then really purred. Hah-hah. I knew that was a weak spot and he practically melted when I touched it.

When he loosened muscles a bit, I immediately rolled him down and sat straight on top of his stomach. He made a surprised non-human sound and winked twice, when saw, where is he.

"So, who's the leader, kitty?" I made a smile and crossed arms.

"Heh heh. Like this proves anything," he smirked, looking up. Challenging me? I grinned and scratched him behind the ear.

"Okay, okayyyy, you are," he sighed and purred again.

"That's what I wanted to hear," I smiled.

"If parents saw me now, they'd sooo growl," he rolled eyes and shifted slightly.

"Mine too." We both started to laugh.

I found I just made the same mistake as him only when I felt claws behind me, pushing me down. With a squeak I ended up lying on him.

"Aren't we attentive!" he smirked again, about an inch from my face.

"Ah, well," I looked away. "the hunter prevailed over prey again, it seems."

"He wouldn't be interested, it being not such a cute prey."

There was awkward silence there for a while.

"...And if she didn't scratch me," he added playfully.

The tension faded and I laughed again, raising a hand to his hair. I heard – or more  _felt_  – purring, so I lied down comfortably as well. He let me, not trying to roll me off.

It was still early for me to go home, they had the hunt already, so I could be there... just for how long I wanted. And I did want to. It was such a comfortable and warm feeling, really... Woah, so  _warm_.

"Do you know you have a fever?" I asked softly.

He opened eyes lazily, head next to mine. "Do I?"

"It seems so..."

He shrugged. "Might be. But I feel perfectly well so it's probably nothing," he smiled.

"Oookay," I lied down again with a sigh. "just don't get sick."

"I will be very careful. I can't bear the thought of having to spend MORE time alone inside than necessary!"

"Aw. Good. I can't either."

 

 


	6. Springtime

When I was fourteen, again – for the third time, third time's a charm – there was a new routine.

I was so used to routines now that it wasn't tiring for me. It couldn't be tiring anyway! It was the village's way of life, of sorts, something to always return to. Routines equaled life.

I always went to the forest with some of my work, but I never finished it there anyway. I always ended up laying down and playing around with Ater.

Playing was the right way to call it. Really. We didn't do anything, it was innocent fun of two friends who knew each other very well for a long time.

Or was it?

I wasn't that sure about it, because... heh. I couldn't miss some of the faces he made, some small growls when I accidentally touched a place I shouldn't have, some stares I received doing some moments or sounds. Maybe he didn't even realize the reactions himself.

"You're not a child anymore, Gwen, so don't complain and act it," mom shut me up when I said I don't want to do something. It was usually trivial things, but it was at a time when I wanted to go out. "make me proud. And anyway, is it proper for a girl your age to go running outside like some eight-year old?"

"But I love being outside," I told the truth. "and I'm not the only one anyway!"

"Oh, really. But others go in groups. You run around so much! And people say you're often close to the forest."

Oh snap. I hope nobody saw me going INTO the forest... Although that would've caused an uproar way, way back.

"I like the forest."

"G _wen_!" My mother looked horrified at the words. "You _know_ the forest doesn't belong to _us_!" 

"I know, I _know_! I'm not a kid, as you said. It belongs to Those-we-do-not-speak-of." 

Except we do, and of course I knew. If it didn't, I wouldn't be interested in going near or into it like I was.

"So then? Do you want Them to come again?"

"Ahh, come on. They usually come in winter or spring, don't they? It's summer now."

"Still. Don't make them angry."

"I doubt I will, I've been there many times."

"There?"

My stomach made an acrobatic maneuver. God, did I really say that out loud?!

"There... near it. Near the line."

"Oh," she raised ab eyebrow. "well... you should stop doing that so often. Really, Gwen."

I lowered eyes onto the floor, knowing I'd need to lie. "Sure, mom."

That same day I went into the forest. This time I brought only a book with me, I had my chores done for the day, and found Ater there already. We didn't need to talk to agree on what to do next.

"You've got a fever again," I stated when he flung himself down into my lap. He became quite cheeky those past few weeks. But whatever, it harms nobody.

"Oh, do I? Seems that became a casual thing," he shrugged it off with closed eyes.

"Well, you do seem fine. Is it a normal thing among your own?"

"Kinda," he murmured. Gosh, it almost burned, but... not in a unpleasant way. I liked the heat. It sometimes made me blush, but I still liked it.

It radiated from... everywhere. From all of his body, like it was out of his blood.

He closed his eyes and settled down comfortably, which gave me a good opportunity to examine him.

He seemed... more at ease, more swift, more confident this past year. We was growing into an adult too, heh. Icould feel that... feel and see as well.

I looked into the book again, but somehow my sight always ended up on him, from head to- everything else.

I sometimes wondered what would it be like lying there skin-on-skin – which was a thought I always shook away, but the weird feeling stayed. And now I thought about it again. Damn.

"I won't ask again, alright," I murmured. "by the way... mom noticed I disappear a bit too much."

"And?" he opened eyes, a wary look in them.

"I'll probably have to stay away for a bit. Or at least, you know, not come here _every_ day."

He sighed.

"That's too bad. I'll be bored here all by myself."

"I'm still here," I made a small grin and lowered my head down.

I stopped half-way, realizing what I just wanted to do- no use. He swiftly got up on his elbows and closed the distance – which meant kissing me.

We only shared about... two or three kisses before. And that was merely a touch, lasting a few seconds.

This time it was longer.

Even if in an awkward position, strangely I enjoyed it more than the ones previously.

I let out a small squeak, when I felt his claws behind my head, pushing me down. I never knew he was so demanding in this! But I never had a chance to find out.

But I didn't mind that. Not even the sharp teeth I felt and the heat on my face from his breath. I even lifted one hand to push his face up. I didn't even realize it at the moment!

I only came to my senses when I felt a feline tongue on my lips.

I winked, then flung myself back straight, red as his cape.

He winked a few times as well, as if dazed. He -probably unconsciously- licked his lips, stared at me for a moment, and then with apparent dawning realization sat up so quickly his stings stood up.

"I- uh... got to go."

"Me too!" I agreed quickly, grabbed the book and stood up, brushing myself off. "I... I still... uh, got to feed the bunnies and Scarlet."

"I've got to help back home a bit."

We stood for a while, one of my feet stretched as if to leave, him half turned in the direction deeper into the forest.

"Are you going?"

"Are YOU?"

"I- yes," I blinked and looked down.

He turned fully, I did as well- but before I made two steps I turned back again. It was a sudden impulse

"Hey, kitty!"

He stopped and reeled back expectantly- I ran up to him and gave him a quick kiss before he even got what's going on; then turned on my heel and ran home.

Like a complete _coward_!

I whined into the pillow at night, wondering if there way a way to meet without ever needing to face him again.

…...

I came two days later, because I had chores to do at home (mom was sick), but I was glad I didn't have to go in there. First; it rained like crazy.

Second; you know why.

I only ventured there on the third day with a small pack.

It was after a _very_  generous rain, there were pools everywhere; I was glad I took short old clothes, because otherwise I'd be wet in a minute. I stepped very quietly, not wanting to be the one surprised, but I didn't even have to; the forest had many sounds when wet.

When I got to the meadow where we usually met I was confused at first when I saw the red cape lying on the ground a few feet from me. So where was the owner...?

Ah.

Stings pointing up, tail limp, and the tuft of red hair wet, he was bathing in one of the bigger pools.

My chin literally dropped down, seeing him like this. I _never_ did before. To be truthful, I have never seen anyone apart from myself like this and the less an  _adult._

...Embarrassing. Still, was one of those sights you don't wanna tear your eyes from.

You should have seen my thoughts. They went to such directions I didn't _like at all_. Or I did, but wouldn't for the world admit it. I tried in vain to look away, but I didn't really seem to be able to- he was _magnificient_ -

He suddenly sniffed and turned his head into my direction, his stings standing up high as the adult ones.

"It's just me!" I called out in a sudden panic, finally covering my eyes. "I... Guess I kinda got here unnoticed, didn't I?"

"Geez Gwen, you scared me," he rolled his eyes and exhaled, the stings becoming flat again, and let out a relieved laugh.

 _Like_ _ **you**_ _didn't scare_ _ **me**_.

"Sorry," I shrugged, embarrassed, and went to hand him over the cape.

"How have you been?" he asked casually.

"Fine," I shrugged, trying to at least appear calm. No, I was most certainly not thinking of how I just saw my best friend naked. He looked into the water again, scratching his head.

"About that last meeting..." I started carefully, studying the grass below.

He looked at me again.

"Which one? The one you gave me when you were leaving or the previous...?"

Oh, he knew where I was heading perfectly.

"The... eh... I mean... generally."

"What about it?" he murmured, studying the sky for a change. I didn't think this could get any more awkward, but it was by the minute.

"I just... nothing really. Do you think it's gonna rain again?"

"Probably. You ain't staying today, are you?"

"No. It's too wet in here," I turned my head to where I came from. "sooo, bye."

This time I only embraced him, to not make it worse, but he dropped his head to the side of my head, inhaling deeply.

"What are you doing?"

"Remembering your scent," I heard a whisper in my ear that sent shivers down my spine.

"I- oh. Alright." Alright. Not a big deal at all. It did not make my stomach flutter at all.

I turned and quickly made to run, but his claws were in front of me. I didn't want him to see just how red I was, but it seemed there was no avoiding it. "Gwen, wait."

I stood rigid. "What is it."

"Will you come again soon?"

Before even thinking on it or feeling the need for a different decision, I whispered; "Of course I will."


End file.
